Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has asked the Tripura Tea Development Corporation (TTDC) to take stronger and more proactive steps to become a self-reliant organisation. He made this appeal during a review meeting held at the Civil Secretariat on Thursday with officials of the Industries and Commerce Department and senior members of TTDC. The chief minister said that the tea sector holds great importance for the state and must work in a steady and focused manner to create more jobs and increase its own capacity. During the meeting, TTDC Chairman Samir Ranjan Ghosh shared that the corporation has been able to lower its financial losses in a significant way. He noted that the loss, which stood at ₹5.4 crore during 2023–24, has now come down to ₹2.81 crore in 2024–25.
He described this as an improvement that reflects better management and more cautious use of resources. He also said that TTDC is now aiming to reach a “zero loss” position by the end of the current financial year. The chief minister said that Tripura tea is known for its simple and pleasant taste and its natural aroma. He stressed that this quality must always be maintained. He also said that the marketing of Tripura tea should be made stronger so that the product becomes more visible and more people choose it. He urged officials to support the “vocal for local” message and encourage people in the state to consume more tea grown in Tripura. According to him, this will help the industry earn more revenue and create a stable local market.
Industry officials informed that Tripura produced 90 lakh kilograms of tea in 2024. The state has five tea gardens under TTDC, along with 13 cooperative tea estates and 36 private estates. There are also about 2,800 small growers who depend on tea farming for their livelihood. To improve the life of workers in the tea sector, the government has increased the daily wage from ₹105 to ₹204. Upgradation work at the Brahmakund Tea Processing Centre has been completed, and a new small-scale processing factory has been set up in the Machmara estate of North Tripura.
